Marcus growled. Not like before — but deeper. Heavier. Like rumbling from deep within the earth.
"You think... these chains are enough?"
The Sunforge Chains began to tremble. The Pyre Prison's flames dimmed. The Brand of Submission on his chest cracked.
"You... are wrong."
Marcus tore the chains from his body. Blood spurted — but he didn't care. His skin peeled, his flesh burned, but his eyes didn't blink.
"I cannot die here."
He stood. His body was covered in blood — marks from chains, burn wounds. But he didn't stagger. Didn't fall.
---
Marcus turned toward Kaelen.
Kaelen still sat on the floor, clutching his severed arm. Blood continued to flow. His face was pale. His breath was short.
"If you... don't—"
Marcus didn't hear. He walked closer. His steps were heavy, unsteady — but he didn't stop.
"Kaelen."
Kaelen turned. His eyes widened.
"I'm sorry."
Just a fist. One powerful punch.
Kaelen fell. Unmoving.
"One," Marcus whispered.
He knelt beside Kaelen's corpse. His hand touched Kaelen's chest.
"I can absorb the power of those I kill. But only three times."
From Kaelen's body, blue fire transferred to Marcus's body — gathered at his fingertips. His eyes blazed — red mixed with blue.
"Blue flames," Marcus whispered. "Now mine."
---
Nix didn't give Marcus time to adapt. He shot into the air.
"Phoenix Dive — Ashen Dive!"
His body dove like a meteor. Red fire enveloped his body. A fiery explosion and shockwave struck the ground around Marcus — an area burnt and weakened.
Marcus didn't panic. He ran — not sideways, but toward Nix. Blue fire ignited at his feet.
"Inferno Step Chain!"
He leaped from the fire footprints he left behind — airborne, changing direction mid-trajectory, avoiding Ashen Dive's shockwave.
Nix didn't stop. From the air, he launched solid fire spears.
"Solar Lance!"
Red fire spears shot straight toward Marcus — fast, like lightning.
Simultaneously, three thin fire discs launched from his hands.
"Ash Cutter!"
Three discs in different formations — one low at knee level, one mid at waist level, one hovering and spinning slowly.
Marcus didn't dodge. He parried one disc with his hand — and at the point of contact, blue fire exploded slightly, pushing his hand open.
"Blazing Counter!"
Marcus's hand was forced open — but he didn't panic. He exploited the opening, spinning his body.
"Blue Afterburner Smash!"
A hook punch. Right at the end of the motion, blue fire shot from his wrist — not to attack, but as an afterburner suddenly accelerating his fist.
The punch struck Nix's chest before he could retreat.
---
Nix staggered. His chest hurt — blue fire burning from within.
"Cobalt Impact..." Nix whispered. "You learn fast."
Marcus didn't answer. He advanced again.
But Nix had already moved. His hand gripped Marcus's still-extended arm — precisely at the elbow.
"Sear and Tear!"
Red fire burned at the grip point. Then Nix tore his hand sideways — a torn wound with burnt edges stretched across Marcus's arm.
Marcus growled. But didn't retreat.
He leaped back — or tried to. But at his landing point, a fire net suddenly emerged from the ground.
"Ember Snare!"
Marcus was caught. A net of fire fibers wrapped around his body.
Nix sighed. "You—"
Marcus didn't hear. He spun 360 degrees — fast, very fast for his size. At his fingertips, blue fire ignited.
"Equilibrium Breaker!"
The fire net was severed. Blue fire fibers cut through the red net like paper.
Marcus emerged with minor burns — but he didn't stop. His motion was spinning, like a dragon opening its maw.
"Blue Dragon's Maw!"
Blue fire erupted from his fist — not a blast, but like a giant bite that clamped down and crushed physical defense.
Nix was thrown back. His chest felt crushed.
---
Nix was cornered. But he didn't panic.
A circular kick — fire spreading at the end of the motion.
"Radiant Kick!"
A 180-degree fire fan swept toward Marcus. Not very strong, but wide area. Marcus stepped back two paces.
Nix exploited the opening. His hands moved fast — two slashes forming an X shape.
"Twin Fangs of the Scorched Nest!"
The slash marks didn't wound immediately. But 0.5 seconds later — both exploded simultaneously.
The knockback effect made Marcus stagger. His feet dragged backward.
Nix didn't stop. Rapid thrusts — successive like needle stitching.
"Ember Stitch!"
Each thrust left a small fire point on Marcus's chest. One, two, three, four, five — five points.
Nix snapped his fingers.
All points connected. Fire lines cut through the tissue between those points.
Marcus fell to his knees. His chest was covered in blood — burns, cuts, all mixed together.
But he was still alive.
With his remaining strength, Marcus aimed his palm at Nix's stomach before him.
"Supernova Palm Cannon!"
Blue fire erupted like a cannon — from point-blank range. A deafening explosion.
Nix was thrown back. His body hit the marble floor. Rolled. Stopped.
But he rose.
"You're... still alive?" Marcus murmured.
Nix didn't answer. Blood flowed from the corner of his mouth. But his eyes — his eyes still blazed.
---
Marcus whispered, "We both know this isn't over."
He shot forward — one final Inferno Step Chain. Fire footprints blazed on the floor. He leaped, changing direction mid-air, and his hand dove toward Nix's chest.
"Blue Requiem!"
His hand pierced Nix's chest — or tried to. But Nix had already moved.
"Incision of the Dying Sun!"
A close-range slash with fire vibrating at high frequency — not burning, but cutting. Cutting muscle. Cutting bone. Cutting everything.
Marcus's hand dove toward Nix's chest — but Marcus's neck was already sliced.
Red and blue fire mingled between them.
Both stopped.
Marcus fell to his knees. His hand was still raised — but couldn't thrust. His neck was covered in blood. His breath was short.
Nix still stood. His chest was wounded — but not pierced. Marcus's hand stopped one inch before breaking skin.
"You..." Marcus whispered. "You knew..."
"I knew," Nix cut in. His breath was ragged. "I read your movements."
---
Marcus didn't answer. He couldn't. His neck was already covered in blood. His hand fell to his side.
"One... one more..." he whispered. "I still have... one chance..."
"No," said Nix. "You're spent."
Marcus smiled. Not a satisfied smile. A bitter smile.
"You... haven't won yet."
He fell. Lay on the floor. Unmoving.
But his eyes remained open.
---
Nix stood over Marcus's body. His chest rose and fell rapidly. Blood flowed from the corner of his mouth. His left arm hung limp — hit by an incomplete Blue Requiem.
"Nix!" Kazan shouted.
"I'm... fine..." Nix staggered. But didn't fall.
Leon stood beside him. Lokantaka in hand. His eyes weren't on Marcus — but on Zenless.
Zenless still sat on his throne. Smiling.
"Good. Very good," he said. "But you forgot one thing."
Leon's ears perked up.
"Marcus is still alive. And he still has..." Zenless counted on his fingers. "...two more chances."
Leon raised Lokantaka. "Then we finish him before—"
"Too late."
From the floor, Marcus moved.
His eyes opened.
=== CHAPTER 35 END ===